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Why We Love Obiqo Skincare

Created by Kiwi Phillippa Fletcher, Obiqo is a sea-inspired skincare range that I just can’t get enough of. We were lucky enough to chat to Phillippa about the range, her must have products and why Obiqo is taking the world by storm.

What was the inspiration behind Obiqo?I’ve always loved marine based skin care products, and I wanted to develop a New Zealand skin care range using our fabulous, nutrient rich kelp. At the same time I wanted to draw on some of the wonderful European expertise in skincare that I had become aware of while living in Europe. It has been very exciting working with wonderful New Zealand expertise to develop our unique products

Where did the name Obiqo come from and what does it mean?Our philosophy is that skin care is about more than the products – its also about taking the time to care for yourself. We wanted a name that was about reflection on calm waters – and you will see that ‘obiqo’ will float on water or reflect itself back in a mirror and always be legible. It’s a name we developed and created a meaning for which reflects who we are: ō’bi’qō a. & n. 1. n. skincare inspired by the sea, with nourishing, moisturizing, anti-ageing natural marine extracts. 2 a. vital, rejuvenating, refreshing, uplifting, restorative, essential, hence – obiqo moment, (colloq) time out of the day reserved for self. A point of stillness in a busy life.

What makes you different to other skincare companies?
It’s our marine extracts which make us different. Marine skin care has often been perceived to be an out of reach luxury. Our products look and feel luxurious, they contain fabulous marine extracts, but they are available at an affordable price, and we are delighted with that.

Your products feature a lot of ‘marine ingredients’ what are the benefits of these?
Seaweed is packed with vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and amino acids that are essential in maintaining healthy and youthful skin. In New Zealand kelp is a protected resource, so our kelp extract is made from seaweed collected under licence on the East Coast of the north island. Our other marine extracts have also been extracted naturally and sustainably, and have been developed and tested in Europe. Our marine collagen and elastin, and our powerful anti-oxidant sea lavender all use the latest peptide technology. What we love is that these are all wrapped together with sweet oils and New Zealand herbs to give the best of both our natural world and of technological advances.

What are your ‘must have’ Obiqo products?Well, of course for me I use them all, and I love them all, so its difficult to pick a ‘must have’. However I think I can say that the Restoring Night Cream is probably my most used product, I just love using it, both the feel and the delicate fragrance are beautiful.

Your products have such simple yet elegant packaging, how did that come about?
Great credit for our wonderful packaging should go to our designer, Beccy Davis of Moxie Design consultancy in Wellington. She perfectly realised our wish for luxurious, sophisticated packaging which would be suitable for international markets, and also reflect our marine story, and we are thrilled with the result. Thank you Beccy!!

What lies ahead for you and Obiqo?
Our products are currently being sold in The USA, Canada and the UK, and we are looking at a market in Asia. However, we would like to be better known in our home market as well. This year we have some new products planned as we grow and develop, so we have plenty to look forward to!